Fluid operated expandable skein holder

ABSTRACT

The fluid operated expandable skein holder includes a plurality of outwardly expandable skein support bars about which a skein of yarn is draped for unwinding after the yarn dying and heat curing process. The skein support bars are radially expandable with respect to one another to take up the slack in the skein, and the yarn end is pulled axially from the skein about a balloon ring. Continuous outward force is applied to the skein by the skein support bars, and as the skein expands during the unwinding process, the skein support bars expand outwardly to continuously support and hold the skein.

United States Patent Padgett, Jr.

[ Nov. 11, 1975 1 1 FLUID OPERATED EXPANDABLE SKEIN HOLDER [76] Inventor: John Padgett, Jr., 102 W. May St.,

Calhoun, Ga. 30701 [22] Filed: Apr. 1, 1974 [21] Appl. No.1 456,543

[51] Int. Cl. BGSH 75/24 [58] Field of Search 242/1 10.1, 110.2, 110, 242/127, 72.1, 72, 53

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,598,398 5/1952 Littell et a1. 242/721 3,408,022 10/1963 Gilbos 242/1101 3.421.712 1/1969 Scroggie et al. 242/127 3.456.890 7/1969 Lucke 242/53 7 3,825,196 7/1974 Yamazaki 242/1 10.1 X

Primary E.\'am1'nerLeonard lD. Christian Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Jones, Thomas & Askew [57] ABSTRACT The fluid operated expandable skein holder includes a plurality of outwardly expandable skein support bars about which a skein of yarn is draped for unwinding after the yarn dying and heat curing process. The skein support bars are radially expandable with respect to one another to take up the slack in the skein, and the yarn end is pulled axially from the skein about a balloon ring. Continuous outward force is applied to the skein by the skein support bars, and as the skein expands during the unwinding process, the skein sup port bars expand outwardly to continuously support and hold the skein.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US. Patent N0v.11,1975 Sheet10f2 3,918,659

US. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet2 012 3,918,659

FIG 3 FIG 2 FLUID OPERATED EXPANDABLE SKEIN HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Textile yarns are usually dyed and heat cured in loose skeins to allow the liquid dye and hot drying air to circulate freely through the yarn. After the dying and the heat setting of the yarn has been completed, the yarn must be unwound from the skein and wound onto tubes, etc., for subsequent shipping, storage and use.

In the past, skeins of yarn have been mounted on unwinding apparatus that have usually included radially expandable arms that are contracted to receive the skein and are expanded radially outwardly so as to expand and support the skein during the unwinding procedure. The skein unwinders usually remain substantially stationary while the yarn is pulled axially from the skein about a balloon ring. The prior art axially operated skein unwinders have been relatively expensive to.

manufacture and during the operation of the prior art devices, the skein of yarn on the skein unwinder usually expands as the yarn is unwound from the skein so that the skein becomes loose on the skein unwinder and tends to pull off the unwinder before the yarn is unwound from the skein, thus requiring the operator to untangle the yarn remaining in the skein or put the skein back on the unwinder. Moreover, when a skein is first mounted on a skein unwinder, the ties which hold the yarn in the skein must be removed from the skein before the unwinding procedure begins and any tangled portions of the yarn in the skein must be untangled. The skeins of yarn are relatively difficult to manage on the prior art skein unwinders since the operator is re- 1 quired to reach down below or reach over on top of or reach through the skein unwinder or possibly to walk around the other side of the skein unwinder to remove the skein ties or to rearrange the tangled yarns.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the present invention comprises a fluid actuated expandable skein holder which is co]- lapsible to allowthe operatorto drape a skein of yarn about its support arms, and is expandable so as to expand the skein and hold the skein firmly during the unwinding procedure. In addition, the skein unwinder can be rotated by hand so that the operator can easily reach the skein ties or any entangled yarns in the skein. A fluid actuated ram functions to expand and to contract the skein support bars, and a continuous constant outward force is applied to the skein by the support bars under the influence of the fluid actuated ram so that the skein will not slip as its yarn is being unwound, and if the skein should expand by having its yarn slip through the skein during the unwinding procedure, the fluid actuated ram functions to expand the skein support bars to maintain the proper tension in the yarn of the skein and to prevent the skein from slipping off the skein holder.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a skein unwinder which is inexpensive to manufacture, expedient to operate, and which functions to prevent a skein of yarn from slipping during the unwinding procedure.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 0 support bars in their partially expanded, operative position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENT Referring now in more detail to the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 discloses expandable skein holder 10 which includes base 11, upright support stanchion l2 rigidly connected at its lower end to base 11, and support plate 14 mounted on the upper end of support stanchion 12. A pair of spaced pillow block bearings 15 and 16 are mounted on the upper surface of support plate 14. The base 11, support stanchion 12, support plate 14 and bearings 15 and 16 comprise a support means for the expandable skein holder 10.

Centrally positioned tubular support shaft 18 is rotatably held by bearings 15 and 16 in a cantilever arrangement. Support shaft 18 is mounted in a horizontal attitude on the support means and is rotatable about its own longitudinal axis. Support shaft 18 is tubular and defines central opening 19 which extends entirely through the length of the support shaft.

A pair of collar means 20 and 21 are rigidly mounted on support shaft 18. Collar means 20 includes tabs 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d, 222, and 22f which extend radially outwardly from support shaft 18, and each tab includes an opening 23 therethrough. In a similar manner, collar means 21 includes tabs 24a-24f in alignment with tabs 22a-.22f, and each of the tabs 24a-24f defines an opening 25 therethrough.

A plurality of skein support bars.28 are supported from support shaft 18 and are oriented approximately parallel to one another and are equally radially spaced from the support shaft 18 and are circumferentially spaced from one another. While FIG. 1 discloses only a single skein support bar 2811, it will be understood that a skein support bar is present for each of the tabs 22a22f and 24a24f.

Each skein support bar 28a-28f is connected to support shaft 18 by pairs of pivotal support arm assemblies. The skein support bars each include apertured connecting tabs 34 and 35, and the pivotal support arm assemblies extend between the connecting tabs 34 and 35 of the skein support bars and the tabs of the collar means 20 and 21 on the support shaft 18. For example, the pair of pivotal support arms 29a are connected at their ends to tab 22a of collar means 20 and to tab 35a of skein support bar 28a by pivot pins 31 and 32 ex- Actuating rod 38 is slidably received in the central opening 19 of tubular support shaft 18. The first or outer end portion 39 of the actuating rod protrudes beyond the end of support shaft 18, and a connecting collar means 40 is positioned on the outer end portion thereof. Connecting collar means 40 also includes a plurality of radially outwardly extending tabs 41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 41e, and 41f, and each tab includes an opening 42 extending therethrough. A pair of clamp collars 44 and 45 are positioned on opposite sides of connecting collar means 40, and set screws 46 maintain the clamp collars 44 and 45 in position on actuating rod 38. With this arrangement, connecting collar 40 is prevented from moving along the longitudinal axis of actuating rod 38.

A plurality of connecting links 48 extend between each of the tabs 41a-41f of the connecting collar and the pivotal support arms 30a-30f. For example, con- 7 Thus, actuating rod 38, its connecting collar 40 and connecting links 48a-48f function as actuating means and are movable along the length of the tubular support shaft 18 to cause the collapse and expansion of the skein holder.

Support plate 14 includes a horizontal platform 51 which is mounted on the upper end of upright support stanchion 12, and upwardly turned vertical wall portion 52. Fluid actuated ram assembly 54 is connected to wall portion 52 and includes a cylinder 55, end blocks 56 and 58, and a ramrod (not shown) which is distendable from end block 56 into tubular support shaft 18 and connected at its end to the inner end of actuating rod 38. Fluid conduits 59 and 60 communicate with the ends of cylinder 55 through end blocks 56 and 58 and with foot control valve 61. A fluid conduit 62 supplies fluid under pressure to foot control valve 61. Foot control valve 61 is a three position valve, wherein fluid pressure from conduit 62 is supplied either to conduit 59 or 60 while the other conduit is vented, or the valve is in a neutral position where no fluid pressure is supplied to either of conduits 59 or 60 and both conduits 59 and 60 are vented.

The distal end of actuating rod 38 has a smaller diameter than the main portion thereof to form a stub 64 at the end of I the actuating rod, and the mounting hub 65 of a balloon ring 66 has a central opening 68 that is insertable about stub 64. Balloon ring 66 includes hub 65 and a plurality of spokes 69 extending radially outwardlyfrom the hub, and a circular ring 70. Ring 70 is of larger diameter than the circle made by skein support bars 28a-28f. Balloon ring 66 can be easily slipped on and off stub 64.

.When a skein of yarn has been dyed and heat set and is ready for unwinding from the skein and rewinding onto a cone, etc., the operator of the skein holder causes foot control valve 61 to be placed in the position where the skein support bars are collapsed inwardly toward support shaft 18, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The operator places a skein of yarn about the support bars 28a-28f and then actuates foot control valve 61 to cause the support bars to expand outwardly from support shaft 18. The balloon ring 66 is placed on the end of actuating rod 38, and the operator removes the ties from the skein and corrects any tangles, etc., that might be present in the skein. The free end of the yarn is taken from the skein and drawn axially from the skein about the perimeter of balloon ring 66 toward a winding machine or other apparatus (not shown).

When the operator manipulates the foot control valve 61 to collapse the skein holder, fluid pressure from conduit 62 is directed through valve 61 to conduit 60 toward the rear end of fluid actuated ram 64, to cause the ramrod (not shown) to distend into support shaft 18, causing actuating rod 38 to move telescopically through support shaft 18 and distend outwardly from the opening of the support shaft. This causes connecting collar 40 to move away from the collar means 20 and 21 on the tubular support shaft 18, and connecting links 48a-48f pull the parallel linkage of the collapsible support means toward the balloon ring, causing the skein support bars 28a-28f to collapse inwardly toward the support shaft 18. If the operator wishes to only partially collapse the skein support bars 28a-28f, the foot control valve 61 can be moved to its neutral position before the skein holder is fully collapsed, which tends to hold the skein support bars in an intermediate position.

After the skein of yarn has been draped around the skein support bars and adjusted by the operator, the operator will move the foot control valve so that the air pressure from conduit 62 communicates with conduit 59, thus causing ram 54 to retract its ramrod and pull actuating rod 38 telescopically back into tubular shaft 18. This causes connecting collar 40 on actuating rod 38 to move toward tubular support shaft 18 and collar means 20 and 21, and connecting links 48a-48f urge the parallel linkage formed by the pivotal support arms 29a-29f and 30a-30f to expand skein support bars 28a-28f outwardly from tubular support shaft 18.

Skein support bars 28a-28f are arranged to assume a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the skeins of yarns being handled by the expandable skein holder 10. Thus, when a skein of yarn is placed on the collapsed skein holder 10 (FIG. 2) and the skein holder is then expanded (FIG. 3), the skein of yarn will tend to be expanded and firmly held by the skein holder before the skein support bars 28a-38f have reached their largest diameter. The fluid in the fluid pressure system and the diameter of the piston in ram 54 and the mechanical advantage of the links of the apparatus are selected so that the outward stretching force applied to the skein of yarn will not tend to rupture the yarn; however, the continuous fluid pressure to ram 54 causes a continuous outward force to be applied to the skein of yarn, which tends .to hold the skein of yarn firmly on the skein support bars 28a28f. If the yarn in the skein should slip through the skein and cause the skein to expand, the continuous fluid pressure applied to ram 54 causes the skein holder to expand with the skein and continuously apply the proper holding force to the yarns in the skein.

Since tubular support shaft 18 is rotatably mounted in bearings 15 and 16, the operator can rotate the skein mounted on the skein holder to reach any'tangled yarns or ties which must be removed from the skein prior to the unwinding procedure. If the operator desires to collapse or partially collapse the skein holder to free the yarn and allow the yarn to be adjusted or untangled, the

the skein holder is instantaneously collapsed or expanded, as desired, and the skein holder can be maintained in any partially expanded or collapsed attitude by moving the foot control valve 61 to its neutral position. Moreover, when the skein support bars 28a-28f are moved to their fully collapsed or inward positions, the balloon ring moves axially with actuating rod 38 in a direction away from tubular support shaft 18, so that the skein support bars 28a-28f will not dislodge the balloon ring 66 from the skein holder. When the skein holder is expanded, balloon ring 66 will move with actuating rod 38 toward support shaft 18. Thus, balloon ring 66 will be maintained closely adjacent the skein support bars no matter how small or how large the skein is on the skein holder, and the balloon ring will move progressively with the skein support bars as the skein support bars expand to hold a slipping skein. Also, the balloon ring will not be dislodged from the skein holder if the operator collapses the skein holder to adjust the skein holder or the skein supported by the skein holder.

While ram 54 has been disclosed as being a fluid actuated ram, it will be understood that in most environments the ram will be actuated by air under pressure since pressurized air is relatively inexpensive and usually must be available for other functions in a typical industrial location; however, the fluid actuated ram can be operated by liquid, if desired.

The pivotal support arms 29a-29f and 30a-30f have been illustrated as being pairs of arms connected to opposite surfaces of the tabs of the skein support bars and the collars of the support shafts; however, it will be understood that only one pivotal support arm is required at each tab. While six skein support bars 28a-28f and related components have been disclosed, it will be understood that fewer or more skein support bars and related components can be used, if desired.

While this invention has been described in detail with particular reference to the disclosed embodiment, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinbefore and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A yarn skein holder comprising support means, a tubular shaft mounted on said support means, an actuating rod positioned in the opening of said tubular shaft with its ends extending beyond the ends of said tubular shaft and movable telescopically through said tubular shaft, collar means connected to said tubular shaft and to said actuating rod, a plurality of skein support bars oriented approximately parallel to each other and circumferentially and radially spaced about said tubular shaft, a plurality of pivotal support arms, each pivotal support arm connected at one of its ends to the collar means of said tubular shaft and at the other of its ends to a skein support bar, a plurality of connecting links with each connecting link connected at one of its. ends to the collar means of said actuating rod and at the other of its ends to a pivotal support arm, a fluid actuated ram assembly including a cylinder mounted on said support means and a ramrod distendable from said cylinder and connected to one end of said actuating rod, and a balloon ring removably mounted on the other end of said actuating rod, whereby fluid pressure is communicated with said ram cylinder to move the actuating rod telescopically through the tubular shaft to cause the skein support bars to move radially inwardly or outwardly with respect to the tubular shaft.

2. The yarn skein holder of claim 1 and wherein said support means includes bearings for supporting said tubular support shaft and for permitting said tubular shaft to rotate about its longitudinal axis.

3. The yarn skein holder of claim 1 and further including valve means for continuously communicating pneumatic pressure to one end of said ram cylinder or to the other end of said ram cylinder to continuously bias said skein support bars radially toward or radially away from said tubular shaft.

4. A skein holder comprising support means, a tubular support shaft mounted on said support means, a plurality of skein support bars arranged approximately parallel to said support shaft and positioned in equally radially spaced relationship with respect to said support shaft and circumferentially spaced with respect to one another,a parallel linkage connected between said support shaft and each of said skein support bars for moving said skein support bars through arcs of movement toward and away from one end of said support shaft and radially outwardly and radially inwardly with respect to said support shaft, an actuating rod positioned in the longitudinal opening of said tubular support shaft with its ends extending beyond the ends of said tubular support shaft and movable along the length of said tubular support shaft, connecting links connected between one end portion of said actuating rod and each of said parallel linkages, a balloon ring mounted on said one end portion of said actuating rod, fluid powered drive means connected to the other end of said actuating rod for urging said actuating rod along the length of said support shaft and moving said plurality of skein support bars through arcs radially inwardly or biasing said plurality of skein support bars through arcs radially outwardly with respect to said support shaft.

5. A method of unwinding yarn from, a skein compris' ing supporting the skein on a plurality of approximately parallel circumferentially spaced skein support bars, pulling the end of the yarn in an axial direction about a balloon ring, continuously urging each skein support bar through a radial arc of movement away from the central portion of the skein as the yarn is unwound from the skein to radially expand the bars as the skein expands, and moving the balloon ring progressively with the movement of the skein support bars to maintain the balloon ring adjacent the end portions of the skein support bars.

6. A skein holder comprising a support shaft, a plurality of skein support bars arranged approximately parallel to said support shaft and positioned in radially spaced relationship with respect to said support shaft and circumferentially spaced with respect to one another, collapsible support means connected between said support shaft and said skein support bars for moving said skein support bars radially outwardly and radially inwardly with respect to said support shaft, actuating means movable along the length of said support shaft for expanding and collapsing said collapsible support means, a balloon ring positioned at one end of said support shaft and movable in response to the movement of said actuating means along the length of said support shaft, and fluid powered drive means positioned at the other end of said support shaft for urging said actuating means along the length of said support shaft and biasing said plurality of skein support bars radially outwardly with respect to said support shaft and moving said balloon ring with respect to said support shaft. 

1. A yarn skein holder comprising support means, a tubular shaft mounted on said support means, an actuating rod positioned in the opening of said tubular shaft with its ends extending beyond the ends of said tubular shaft and movable telescopically through said tubular shaft, collar means connected to said tubular shaft and to said actuating rod, a plurality of skein support bars oriented approximately parallel to each other and circumferentially and radially spaced about said tubular shaft, a plurality of pivotal support arms, each pivotal support arm connected at one of its ends to the collar means of said tubular shaft and at the other of its ends to a skein support bar, a plurality of connecting links with each connecting link connected at one of its ends to the collar means of said actuating rod and at the other of its ends to a pivotal support arm, a fluid actuated ram assembly including a cylinder mounted on said support means and a ramrod distendable from said cylinder and connected to one end of said actuating rod, and a balloon ring removably mounted on the other end of said actuating rod, whereby fluid pressure is communicated with said ram cylinder to move the actuating rod telescopically through the tubular shaft to cause the skein support bars to move radially inwardly or outwardly with respect to the tubular shaft.
 2. The yarn skein holder of claim 1 and wherein said support means includes bearings for supporting said tubular support shaft and for permitting said tubular shaft to rotate about its longitudinal axis.
 3. The yarn skein holder of claim 1 and further including valve means for continuously communicating pneumatic pressure to one end of said ram cylinder or to the other end of said ram cylinder to continuously bias said skein support bars radially toward or radially away from said tubular shaft.
 4. A skein holder comprising support means, a tubular support shaft mounted on said support means, a plurality of skein support bars arranged approximately parallel to said support shaft and positioned in equally radially spaced relationship with respect to said support shaft and circumferentially spaced with respect to one another, a parallel linkage connected between said support shaft and each of said skein support bars for moving said skein support bars through arcs of movement toward and away from one end of said support shaft and radially outwardly and radially inwardly with respect to said support shaft, an actuating rod positioned in the longitudinal opening of said tubular support shaft with its ends extending beyond the ends of said tubular support shaft and movable along the length of said tubular support shaft, connecting links connected between one end portion of said actuating rod and each of said parallel linkages, a balloon ring mounted on said one end portion of said actuating rod, fluid powered drive means connected to the other end of said actuating rod for urging said actuating rod along the length of said support shaft and moving said plurality of skein support bars through arcs radially inwardly or biasing said plurality of skein support bars through arcs radially outwardly with respect to said support shaft.
 5. A method of unwinding yarn from a skein comprising supporting the skein on a plurality of approximately parallel circumferentially spaced skein support bars, pulling the end of the yarn in an axial direction about a balloon ring, continuously urging each skein support bar through a radial arc of movement away from the central portion of the skein as the yarn is unwound from the skein to radially expand the bars as the skein expands, and moving the balloon ring progressively with the movement of the skein support bars to maintain the balloon ring adjacent the end portions of the skein support bars.
 6. A skein holder comprising a support shaft, a plurality of skein support bars arranged approximately parallel to said support shaft and positioned in radially spaced relationship with respect to said support shaft and circumferentially spaced with respect to one another, collapsible support means connected between said support shaft and said skein support bars for moving said skein support bars radially outwardly and radially inwardly with respect to said support shaft, actuating means movable along the length of said support shaft for expanding and collapsing said collapsible support means, a balloon ring positioned at one end of said support shaft and movable in response to the movement of said actuating means along the length of said support shaft, and fluid powered drive means positioned at the other end of said support shaft for urging said actuating means along the length of said support shaft and biasing said plurality of skein support bars radially outwardly with respect to said support shaft and moving said balloon ring with respect to said support shaft. 